Drier felt



June 22, 1937. I. J. E. HooPER 2,084,490

DRIER FELT Filed Jan. 1e, 1937 2 sheets-sheet 1 J. E. HOOPER June 22,1937.

DRIER FELT Fiied Jan. 16, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AVM mvAvAv MUM vances.

Patented `lune 22, 1937 PATENT OFFICE DRIER FELT James E. Hooper,Ruxton, Md., assignor to Wilrliam E. Hooper and Sons Company, Wocdberry,

Md., a corporation of Maryland Application January 16, 1937, Serial No.120,958

6 Claims.

The invention relates to paper felts or drier felts on which thematerial is carried forwardly as it progresses from the condition of apulp being progressively dried or otherwise treated as it ad- Otherproducts including laundry are dried in this way.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved seam or jointconstruction for drier felts,A laundry aprons and the like whereby thev'10 paper orpulp sheet or other material being treat- :l25fto the areaswhich overly the joints.

ed is supported out of Contact with the clips or other fastening meanswhich join the ends of the felt the protecting means and the portions towhich the clips are attached being of the same material integral Withand part of the main strip composing the felt or apron.

' In the past the ends to be joined have been strengthened by attachmentthereto of reinforcing strips of duck or similar materials which are Udifferent from the felt in their action on the paper and the absorptionof the moisture so that though they are attached to the back of the feltthere is a tendency to create a difference in the density and in thenature of the paper web as Also the vjoints of the prior art have beenso formed that the ends of the felt which support the paper web near thejoint are spaced apart over the clips. 'I'hese ends become frayed in useand the frayed ',130 portions become turned upwardly extending above theweb supporting surface, increasing the space between the felt ends sothat the clips are exposed permitting the paper or pulp Web in more orless moist condition to come into contact 35 with the clips whereby itis permanently marked --and discolored and the frayed ends of the feltrhave a similar action by indenting and thus marking the web in thevicinity of the joint-between the ends of the felt.

m40- AIn -accordance with therimproved joint construction the adjacentedges of the felt drier ends above the clips are formed by folding thefelt material near the joint back upon itself against the back side ofthe apron or drier felt, the folded p45 edges of the felt being, 'whenthe joint is closed,

placed in close abutting relation completely closing the supportingsurface of the felt at the joint so that they support the paper or pulpabove and completely out of contact with the clips, and,

-z ,50 by avoiding the presentation of unfinished or exposed edges ofthe felt at this point, they eliminate fraying so that the yclosure ispermanent. The paper is not only protected from Contact with the clipsand consequent marking and discolora- :355 tion but is also protectedfrom marking andindentation by the frayed edges, as in the priorconstruction. Y

In accordance with the preferred form of the invention, the folds whichare thus abutted to form the juncture of the supporting surfaces of thetwo sections of felt being joined are actually spaced back from theextreme end edges of the felt being joined and these end portions beyondthe first mentioned folds are turned `or folded forwardly under or lbackof the felt or apron. The multiple folds formed in each felt end arethen secured together by riveting, stapling, sewing or cementing and theclips are attached to Ythese last mentioned forwardly folded endsbeneath or back of the folds or flaps first mentioned as forming theabutting edges of the two sections of felt at thepaper supportingsurfaces.

The end edges to which the clips are attached may either be doubled byfolding and then secured or may be single and if desired treated byimpregnation with resinous compounds, bakelite or vthe like. Theabutting folds forming the meeting ends of the felt at the top surfacemay be either over and in line with the clips or other joint orY ing anyvariation of action in the different parts' of the felt,the improvedconstruction has the i advantage of greatly improved protection of thepaper from the clips, extreme durability preventj ing fraying of theends and marking the paper or opening of the joint and the improvedconstruction has the further advantage that thus formed by folding theintegral edge portions of `felt and fastening by riveting, stapling,sewing or cementing, the joint `is formed more quickly and more cheaplythan by the addition of reinforcing strips, also the 'formation of theseedge contacting and joint attaching folds of the same material integralwith the remainder of the felt makes it easy by using the weave lines asa guide to form more quickly astraight joint at right angles to theselvage edges at the sides than by the old method of attached reinforceand these integral attaching and Contact folds have the furtheradvantage that they pull uniformly and -keep the belt straight undertension. The newv to overheating and there is no danger of pull-'tratedtwo forms of joint ing the clips from the fabric on this account.

VIn the accompanying drawings, I have illustion. i Figure 1 is a planView of the felt or apron at and adjacent the joint looking from thepaper web supporting side. V`

Figure 2 is a similar view of the joint and adjacent portions of thefelt or apron looking at the same from the opposite side to Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3, 3 in Figure 1 in which theprotecting naps or pleats contact on a line directly over the clips.

Figure 4 is a section on the same line showing substantially the sameform of joint in which the protecting flaps or folds which supportthermaterial o-ut of contact with the clips abut or meet ona line spacedaway from the clips.

Figure 5 is a section similar to Figure 4, the

arrangement being slightly different in that the ends of the felt towhich the clips are attached instead of being doubled are of a singlethickness and may be treated by impregnation to prevent pulling of theclips.

Figure 6 is a bottom planV Figure Y5. Y

Referring to the drawings by numerals each of which is used to indicatethe same or similar parts in the different figures the constructionFigures 1, 2 and 3 comprises felt or similar material I composing thedrier felt'or apron 2. This felt particularly when used .in themanufacture of paper is preferably provided with a web engaging or upperply 4 of asbestos the lower ply 3 being of cotton, Wool or othersuitable textile fiber. The asbestos may be omitted from paper felts aswell as other dryer aprons. 'Ivvo end portions 5 and S of this drierfeltor apron are shown as connected by a joint 1."In this form of jointthe end portions to which the clips 8 are attached are folded formingclip supporting View of the joint redges S to which Vthe clips 8 orother fastenings are attached in kany suitable manner. Inwardly of thefelt ends in the direction of their length the felt end portions 5, areagain folded forming the folded clip supporting edges 9 ,are alsoVfolded forwardly toward the joint forming a fold at I3 and the multiplethicknesses of material resulting from the three folds which may beformed in any convenient order or sequence are fastened togetherbackwardly of the clips by riveting, stitching or stapling at I2 or theymay if desired be cemented for this'purpose. 'I'he word clip is used todesignate any suitable end fastening.

Figure 4 shows a foid I4 corresponding to the fold I of increased widthand the fold I5 corresponding to the fold Iii of decreased widthdisplacing the line of contact I6 to the right so that it is spaced awayfrom the clips 8 or other fasembodying the inventenings the otherfeatures of this construction being similar to that of Figures 1, 2 and3.

The construction of Figure is similar to that of Figure 4 except thatthe clip supporting ends I8 instead of being folded as at 9, 9 and hencedoubled are of a single thickness being preferably toughened byimpregnating with suitable material of a resinous nature or bakelite orthe like at I8'. In this construction, Figure 5, the two folds or pleatsprovide three thicknesses Vof the material I9, 2Q and 2| secured in anysuitable manner as previously described. The heat resisting material asasbestos when used is believed to give better protection from heatingand to assist in avoiding any tendency to loosen. the clips 8 on accountof such heating. j

Without regard to the nature of the material of which the felt or apronis made, it is of importance that while the paper web or other productbeing treated is fully protected from the clips by the contacting foldssubstantially inthe supportingrsurface of the felt or apron and formed iintegrally therewith of the same piece of material, the attachingportions, to which the clips are secured beneath said folds, may be partof the integral felt or apron and notsubject to separation from theapron by shearing as when separate strips are attached to the back 'ofthe apron for this purpose. k

The joint constructionshown by the Yprovision of folded edges ofthe feltmaterial, folded edges of the adjacent sections of felt being in closecontact, said folds being relatively resilient thus maintaining thecontact after long use, afford a permanent` support for the paper orother material out of contact with the clips or other joint Vmechanismand these folds or foldedflaps being composed of continuous integralportions of fabric knot subject to fraying and therefore dol not markYseparate reinforcement strips or parts, the lines vof the weave beinghelpfuly in making a true'joint at right angles to the selvage Vedges 25ofthe sides. It is alsofound that the end flaps and the folds beingofthe same material as the Vfelt have the same effect on the paperweb'as does the Y remainder ofthe 'felt avoiding any lack of uni- `Vformity incident to the use of any other reinforce.

I have thus described an integral foldgand protected joint for paper`felts, laundry aprons and the like embodying the features of the in-fv`vention, the description being specific and indetail in order that themanner of constructing, applying, operating and using the invention maybe fully understood, however, the specificterms herein are useddescriptively rather than in a limiting sense, the scope of theinventionbeing defined in the claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A dryer felt or apron having a joint com-c prlsing two integral e-ndportions of the material composing the felt attached to which endportions are detachable means for joining the ends of the drier felt toclose said joint, an integrally woven portion of the felt material oneach side of said joint and adjacent each of said ends being folded uponitself and fastening means securing said folds to said end portions thebends of the folds on each side of the joint being in closely abuttedrelation substantially in the supporting surface of the felt closing thesupporting surface of the felt when the joint is closed by the saiddetachable means.

2. A paper felt joint comprising adjacent ends of said felt and beltfastening means for joining said ends the joint also comprising foldedportions on each side of said joint, said folded portions being composedof the felt material integral and continuous with the remainder of thefelt and having supporting surfaces substantially ush with thesupporting surfaces of the main felt and having the bends of said foldson the respective ends of said felt and on the opposite sides of saidjoint in close abutting relation when the joint is closed the feltmaterial on each side of the joint being further folded on the back sideof Said felt, the multiple folds of each felt end being secured togetherand the belt fastening means being secured to said back folds.

3. A fabric drier apron having a joint connecting two ends of said apronsaid joint cornprising a fold on each side of said joint, said foldsbeing formed of the apron fabric and woven integrally with the remainderof the apron fabric, the bends of the folds abutting substantially inthe supporting surface of the apron, portions of said fabric beyond saidfirst mentioned folds being folded toward the plane of said meetingbends, and overlying said rst mentioned folds on the back side of theapron, said latter folded portion being further folded to doublethickness and having cooperating fastening means for said respectiveends attached thereto.

4. A fabric drier apron having a joint connecting two ends of said apronsaid joint comprising a fold on each side of said joint, said foldsbeing formed of the apron fabric and integral with the remainder of thefabric, the bends of the respective folds abutting in close contactsubstantially in the supporting surface of the apron, the edge portionsof said fabric beyond said rst mentioned folds being folded toward theplane cf said bends beneath said first mentioned folds and havingcooperating fastening means for said respective ends attached thereto,and covered by said first mentioned folds, the fabric being impregnatedto prevent loosening of the fastening means and the respective folds oneach side of the joint having securing means for retaining the folds infixed relation.

5. A fabric drier apron for paper or the like having a joint comprisingfolded portions of the apron fabric integral therewith on each side ofthe joint, the bends of the folds meeting substantially in thesupporting plane of the apron, said folds being secured and havingadditional means v attached to each fold on the side remote from saidsupporting surface and fastening members for the joint secured to saidmeans.

6. A fabric drier `apron for paper or the like having a joint comprisingfolded portions of the apron fabric woven integrally with the fabric ofsaid apron on each side of said joint, the bends of the folds meetingsubstantially in the supporting surface of the apron when the joint isclosed said folds being respectively secured and having additional meanssecured to each fold on the side remote from said supporting surface andfastening members for the joint secured to said means, the line ofcontact of said abutting bends of the folds being spaced away from saidfastening means in the direction of the length of said apron.

JAMES E. I-IOOPER.

